Roundabout



W. J. ROZANSKI.

HouNoABouT. APPLICATION FILED MAY'3I. I92I.

Patented Nov. 29, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

FIG. 1

W. J. ROZANSKI.

ROUNDABOUT.

APPLICATION FILED MAY sI, I92I.

,$98,652. Patented N017. 29, 1921-.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITE sr WALTER J. ROZANSKI, 0F PITTSBU'RGrH,4 PENNSYLVANIA.

ROUNDABOUT.

j Speccaton of Letters Patent. Patented NOV. 29, 1921.

Application mea May ai, 1921.` serial no. 473131?.

T 0 all 107mmr t may concern Be it known that l, WALTER J. RoZANs-iir,

a citizen of Poland, residing at Pittsburgh,

in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful improvement-s in Foundabouts, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new' and useful improvements in roundabouts of that type involving a circular platform mounted in a horizontal position forrotation about a vertical axis and associated with means for rotating the same, and wherein suitable figures of animals or chairs ,are provided upon the platform for accommodation of persons.

The primary object of the present invention is to generally simplify and improve devices of this character and produce a construction which will be extremelyeasy and inexpensive to manufacture and assembled for use within a suitable inclosure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a'durable mounting for the platform by the provision of a central upright post' which is adjustable'in length to bear against the floor and ceilingand about which the platform is rotatable, the platform being lined upon the upper end of a hollow shaft journaled upon the post'and having thrust bearings at itslower end whereby friction is reduced to a minimum andthe platform is effectively supported against undue strains.

Other objects will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, and the same'consists of the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings and claimed. y

ln the drawings', wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, Y f

Figure l is a Vview partly in elevation and partly in vertical section ofV a roundabout constructed in accordance with the present Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken just above the platform of Fig. l,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken upon line III-III of Fig. l, Fig. 4L is a horizontal sectional view taken upon line IV-IV of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional vie taken upon line V--V of Fig. 2, Y

Fig. 6 is a" fragmentary plan view of one of the platform sections, and

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of thehollow,`

shaft; this ligure and Fig. 6 collectively illustrating the means for interlocking the platform sections with the upper end of the rotatable hollow shaft. f

Referring more in detail to the several views, the invention 'embodies an upright post adjustable in length and formed of a lower solid section 5 with its upper end threaded as at 6 and a hollow upper section 7 with internal threads at its lower end as at 8, the threaded end 6 of the lower section being threaded into the lower end of the upper section as indicated clearly in Fig. 1,

and the upper section 7 being provided with j handles as at 9 whereby the same maybe conveniently rotated for adjusting the' length of the post. Thelower end of the,

section 5 isY provided with a comparatively large base of circular form as at 10 adapted to be secured in any suitable manner so as to rest flatly upon'the floor 11 of a suitable l inclosure in which'roundabouts'of the present vkind are usually erected, and the upper end of the upper section 7 has a spider 12 swiveled thereon as at 13. The spider 12 is adapted to engage the ceiling 13 of the inclosure andthe swiveled connection 13 permits rotation of the upper post section 7 for tightly jamming the members 10 and 12 against the floor and ceiling respectively so that the post is effectively rigidly mounted in a vertical position as vshown in Fig. 1.

Upon the lower portion of the lower post section 5 is rotatably'` mounted a hollow shaft 14 which is provided with an annular flange 15 upon its lower end situated adjacent the base 10 suitable anti-friction members 16 being interposed between the lower endiof 'said'shaft and the base 10 to provide a lsubstantially frictionless thrust bearing for the'hollo'wfshaft and the platform which is'mounted upon the upper end thereof in a manner which will 'presently 'be i made apparent'. j circular plate 17 is disposed upon the base 10 and has a central upwardly` depressed portion 18 which overlies the flange 15, the plate 17 being provided with a central opening from which the hollow shaft 14 freely extends, and the plate 17 being i rigidly clamped to the base 10Yby .means of clamping plates or lugs 19-which have their outer ends bolted to the base 10 and which are provided with lips as at 2O upon their inner ends overlying the marginal portions of the plate 1'7, the shaft'14 being thus effectively held to the base 10 while rotation of the same is permitted.

`Adjacent the upper end of the .hollowV shaft 14, an integral annular enlargementv 21 is provided, and the upper surface of this enlargement defines a flat horizontal annular shoulder 22 from which a plurality of spaced pins 23 upwardly project, these pins being arranged to project into suitable depressions or sockets 24 provided in a platform which is constructed of segments 25, the platform being centrally apertured to fit upon the upper end of the shaft 14 with the shoulder 22 engaging the under face of the platform between the pins 23. By means of the pins 23 and the sockets 24, the platform is caused to rotate with the hollow shaft 14 when the latter is rotated.

The sections 25 of the platform are arranged in pairs hingedly connected along the adjacent straight edges as at 26, and one section 25 of one Vpair is detachably and rigidlyv connected with a section 25 of the otherpair bymeans of bolts 27 hinged as at 28 to the under side of one of the sections 25 and swinging upwardly between the legs of a bifurca-ted keeper 29 carried upon the adjacent section 25 with a wing nut 30 threaded upon said bolt and engaging said keeper.y A washer 31 is secured as at 32 to the inner portions of the platform sections 25 concentric with the opening of the plat form and so as to snugly surround the upper end of the shaft 14 so as to make the platform more durable, and the platform is held en the shoulder 22 with the pins 23 engaging they sockets 24 and by means of a suitable collar 33 fastened by means of screws 34 on the post section 5 above the washer or ring 31.

Each platform section 25 is effectively braced in a horizontal position by means of an angularly arranged brace 35 having its lower end engaged in an ear 36 projecting from the shaft 14 beneath the shoulder 21 and having its upper end hingedly attached as at 37 to the platform section near its outer edge, four bracel rods being thus provided for the plat-form and four ears 36 being projected in radial spacedrelation upon the shaft 14. y s

fAny suitable means may be provided for applying rotary motion to the shaft 14 and the same preferably consists of a pulley 38 fixed upon the shaft 14 beneath the ears 36 and rotatably geared to a suitable electric motor 39 by means of a belt 40 passing around said pulleyand also around a pulley 41 fixed upon the armature shaft of said motor.V In case of an emergency, the shaft 14 may be rotated by means of a spring motor 42 indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1 having a drive shaft 43 with a bevel pinion 44 fixed upon the outer end thereof so as to mesh with a bevel gear 45 securedon the shaft 14 directly below the pulley 38. At 46 in Fig. `1 the figure of a horse is indicated upon the platform for reception of a person in the usual well known manner, but it is obvious that chairs or the like can be substituted therefor.

In operation, the motor 39 or 42 is placed into operation in any well known way so as to cause rotation of the shaft 14. rIhis revolves the platform about the post section5 and Vfurnishes persons with amusement from the ride afforded thereby.

From the foregoing description itis believed that the construction vand operation .platform fitted onto the upper end of said base and resting upon ysaid shoulder, said platform being provided with a series of sockets in its under face, and upwardly projecting rigid pins extending from said shoulder and fitting into said sockets.

2. In a roundabout, a vertical post, a hollow shaft rotatably mounted on saidvpost and having an enlargement at its upper end defining a horizontal annular shoulder, a platform fitted onto the upper end of said base and resting upon said shoulder, said platform being provided with a series of sockets in its under face, upwardly project-V ing rigid pins extending from said shoulder and fitting into said sockets, and means to retain the platform against upward displacement from said shoulder. j

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WALTER J. ROZANSKI. 

